I am pleased to welcome you to this event, also on behalf of all members of my Lodge. I would also like to mention the reasons which made me propose to my Lodge and then ask to the Grande Oriente d'Italia the consent to organize this first Symposium of the Lodges bearing, for different reasons, the distinctive name "Europa".

As your host, I am pleased that my idea of reuniting, here in Riccione, Brethren of Europa Lodges from all over Europe was fully supported. This made this event possible and for  the first time in Europe single Lodges meet in the name of a sincere European spirit.

Riccione is the splendid frame to this event, its highest Authority, the Mayor, citizen Daniele Imola is present, together with the Mayor of San Clemente, citizen Cristian D’Andrea. Riccione is famous all over Europe for its great touristic development which created the most elegant and renowned centre of the Romagna Riviera.

Romagna is today, as it has always been since the roman age, a crossroad and a meeting point among different cultures. Umbrians, Etruscans, Romans, Senone Gaules, then barbarian invasions, people coming to Italy, attracted by the greatness of Rome “Magistra” (Master), who tried to emulate but also destroy it. Later on Byzantines, Longobards, Francs, then again Imperials, Frenchman, Spaniards, in a word all European armies. The last war was, at the end, the terrible World War II.

We, people of Romagna, have always been quite good at finding opportunities to join, learning from events and drawing new ideas and new forces for the future from the difficult moments. Our people is used to meet and live together with people of different cultures and habits, with  different ideas from our own. We slowly managed to overcome all problems. The terrible scars left by the war could be relieved by education and culture, though they were not so diffused in the early post war years. In that period, both at school and in my family, I could hear and learn about the ideas on Europe of the founder of "Giovine Italia" (Young Italy) first and "Giovine Europa" (Young Europe) later, Giuseppe Mazzini.

His idea of a Europe made of people, a Europe made of brothers, of a Europe made of citizens equal in duties and rights attracted and upset me. I could feel for the first time the longing for a European emotion and awareness which became greater and greater, with more and more strength in my heart and in my conscience.

I grew up and became a Freemason, not surprisingly with the ideas I could breath in my family! I was not initiated in my current Lodge; my destiny, or better the Great Architect of the Universe made me become a member and then Worshipful Master of Europa Lodge at the Orient of Riccione.

I have great memories of fraternal trips to Luxemburg and to Austria. As you can see, the idea of this symposium has matured in time. Riccione, international tourism, Europe! Today, Europe is every day a fundamental topic of our life. We are constantly, yet sometimes unconsciously, involved with this theme. Today, in our life, almost everything is governed by laws, dispositions, selections that are an interplacement between national and European ones: from constitutions to justice, from foreign policy to defense, from economy to energy, from medicine to research, to name just a few.

Here we are! I am very grateful to all of you, to your enthusiasm in supporting my idea of this event, as I am very grateful to the brothers of my Lodge who made it possible. I just want to mention their work, their care and diligence. I am also very grateful to the Municipality of Riccione, represented by the mayor Daniele Imola. As soon as we explained our programs, the Municipality of Riccione could understand our needs and our proposal of "something new moving forward", in the respect of Masonic tradition.

The organization of the event has been facilitated, so it was the mutual communication with the community of the town of Riccione and the province of Rimini. We are trying to share, in our local reality, the action started by our Grand Master Gustavo Raffi, who is giving new shape and image to the Grande Oriente d'Italia, fully respecting our Constitutions, our International Regulations and above all our Universal Fraternity.

"Why we are called Europa?"This headline is indeed fascinating. It allows us, who are coming from every part of Europe and are meeting for the first time, to compare our experiences in the name of Universal Fraternity which is the foundation of the Masonic trinomial, taken from the Enlightment and leading to the French Revolution: LIBERTE, EGALITE , FRATERNITE.

At the beginning of the past century, in Rimini, there certainly were two Lodges obedient to the Grande Oriente d'ltalia. The political events of the 1920s led to their demolition. The chain was broken, the word was lost, many brothers were no longer alive. But in the heart of a few a spark was still alive. In the nearby town of Pesaro a flame was alive under the imperishable name of Giuseppe Garibaldi. The first ones of us were there to build the Temple they were carrying within themselves. Their hearts and their minds brought Masonic Light to Rimini, where Masonic Light had been extinguished.

I wish I could call our founders one by one, but most of them have unfortunately passed to the Eternal Orient. Among the founders of our lodge, seven brothers were citizens of the Republic of San Marino, which at that time, in 1972, did not have a Grand Lodge or Lodges within its territory. The fraternal feelings, the conscience of men of good will, citizens of two different countries yet speaking the same language, made it possible the constitution of the Europa Lodge which was, at that time, at the Orient of Rimini.

The first article of decree 134/LS by Lino Salvini, Grand Master of Grande Oriente d'Italia, dated 27 March 1972, reads: "IT IS REGULARLY CONSTITUTED, AT THE ORIENT OF RIMINI, A MASONIC LODGE UNDER THE DISTINCTIVE NAME "EUROPA", THE NUMBER ASSIGNED BEING 765".

In more recent years, the success of Italian Freemasonry and the increased number of brothers from San Marino made it possible the constitution of a Grand Lodge within the territory of the Republic of San Marino. The current Grand Master, Bro\ Italo Casali, was a member and also Worshipful Master of his dear Europa Lodge.

After the constitution of this Grand Lodge, most members of Europa Lodge were from the area of Riccione. Moveover, the number of lodges operating in Rimini increased to two: they are "Giovanni Venerucci" Lodge, my Mother Lodge, and "Guido Nozzoli" Lodge. I wish to mention them with my warmest fraternal greetings.

We were permitted, then, to constitute the Orient of Riccione. This is our brief yet intense history, rich of glad and sad moments, just like the destiny of each of us.

The Idea of Europe of the peoples, the Idea of Fraternity coming from the heart of Men and from the work of Freemasons from all over Europe must go on, involve the consciences of the humble and of the powerful.

We have just started a work. I wish that other lodges may continue and we are ready to pass on the baton to them. Our esoteric work will allow us to add "THREE AND MORE BRICKS FOR THE CONTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE".

                                                                                      Luigi L\

                                                                           W\ M\ of "Europa" Lodge no. 765